1.1 GW Barium Bay Floating Offshore Wind Project All Set for Auction in Italy

May 21, 2025, by Adnan Memija

Galileo Energy and Hope Group have received an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) permit from Italy’s Ministry of Environment and Energy Security for the 1.1 GW Barium Bay floating offshore wind project.

Galileo Energy Hope Group Barium Bay EIA permit — *Source: Galileo Energy*

The joint venture partners said that this is the largest offshore wind farm to have achieved this milestone in Italy and the Mediterranean Sea.

The EIA permit follows the green light given by the Ministry of Environment and the Ministry of Culture. It will allow Barium Bay to participate in the auction procedure outlined in the FER2 Decree, which allocates a long-term Contract for Difference to 3.8 GW of offshore wind energy.

“We are now focused on reaching construction and commissioning milestones for the plant, which could generate thousands of skilled jobs and attract several billion euros in investment to the country,” said Francesco Dolzani, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Barium Bay and Business Development Director for Galileo in Italy.

The floating offshore wind farm is located more than 45 kilometres from the coast, along the stretch of the Adriatic Sea between the cities of Bari and Barletta, in the Apulia region, south of Italy.

The project is designed with two offshore substations with fixed-bottom foundations, thanks to favourable bathymetry, according to the joint venture partners.

With an expected capacity of 1,110 MW, Barium Bay is expected to generate over 3 billion kWh per year, covering the needs of more than one million Italian households.

“We are thrilled to have obtained this achievement as Hope Group was founded with the aim of being an active part of Italy’s energy transition process. We have worked passionately to design a project capable of generating sustainable energy without impacting the environment and landscape, and this result represents the culmination of work carried out with care and attention to the territory, the sea, local communities, and institutions,” said Michele Scoppio, CEO of Hope Group.

“The energy produced, thanks to the wind that blows undisturbed in the Southern Adriatic Sea, will be valuable for businesses and citizens, contributing to creating a healthier territory and increasing employment in Apulia Region.”